|
|
|
|
Personal Injury Lawyer News and Updates from Personal Injury Attorneys.
Special reports on Chicago Personal Injury news
Confusion between Maalox Brand Products May Lead to Serious Medical Errors
3 Mar 2010 at 7:32pm
Posted by
meghan@pintas.com (William G. Pintas)
Recently, the FDA notified consumers and healthcare professionals about reports of serious medical errors where patients had mistakenly used Maalox Total Relief, when they intended to use a Maalox liquid antacid. Both products are available without a prescription, but are not interchangeable. Consumers were confusing traditional Maalox with Maalox Total Relief, an anti-diarrhea medication that contains strong drug ingredients which may cause internal bleeding. Traditional Maalox uses a gentler formula which helps neutralize stomach acid. Due to the confusion, Novartis, the manufacturer of Maalox, has agreed to change the name and packaging of the potent medication Maalox Total Relief.
The FDA has announced that children and teenagers recovering from illness should not take the higher-strength Maalox. The higher-strength Maalox can also negatively interact with certain medications, such as oral antidiabetic drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin, and the blood thinners warfarin and Plavix.
Residents of Nursing Home Go Clubbing as Biker Gang
25 Feb 2010 at 6:40pm
Posted by
meghan@pintas.com (William G. Pintas)
Nursing home residents at Bethesda Retirement Center in Chicago usually spend their time knitting or quilting. One day, they decided to try something different, and headed out to Evil Olive nightclub dressed as a biker gang. After recruiting hairstylists, make-up artists, professional costumers and tattoo artists, the seniors got transformed for their night of fun. The event at the Evil Olive was attended by over 100 people, including members of the Latino American Motorcycle Association and Chicago’s Chapter of A.B.A.T.E. The nursing home residents were even able to raise money to help purchase a touch screen computer for the retirement center for internet use.
Newly Uncovered Reports Indicate FDA Debate over Avandia Heating Up
24 Feb 2010 at 7:35pm
Posted by
meghan@pintas.com (William G. Pintas)
Avandia, a popular drug used to treat Type 2 diabetes, has been linked to a higher risk of heart attack and heart failure than any other diabetes drug. The drug has recently made headlines due to the uncovering of confidential government reports, in which doctors from the Food and Drug Administration concluded that “Rosiglitazone [Avandia] should be removed from the market.”
The uncovered reports are part of an intense debate over whether the federal agency should withdraw Avandia from the market. The debate has also been fueled by disagreements over a new clinical trial on the risks of Avandia and a Senate investigation which concluded that Avandia’s manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, should have warned patients about its risks years earlier. As Senator Baucus, a Montana Democrat who oversaw the Senate advisory committee on Avandia stated, “Patients trust drug companies with their health and their lives, and GlaxoSmithKline abused that trust.”
At one time, Avandia was one of the biggest-selling drugs in the world, until the risks associated with taking it emerged in 2007. Hundreds of thousands of diabetics still use Avandia, although top endocrinologists have stopped prescribing it. Avandia was ranked first among all prescribed drugs for the number of resulting serious or fatal problems, including 304 deaths in just the third quarter of 2009.
Contact an Experienced Pharmaceutical Litigation Attorney
If you or a loved one has suffered a heart attack or been diagnosed with congestive heart failure after taking Avandia, please contact the Pintas firm immediately. Our law firm will provide you with a free no-obligation consultation and explain your legal rights. However, do not discontinue taking your medication unless you have checked with your physician first.
New Study Finds Overuse of Feeding Tubes in Advanced Dementia Patients
23 Feb 2010 at 5:57pm
Posted by
meghan@pintas.com (William G. Pintas)
A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) finds that the decision to give patients with advanced dementia feeding tubes depends more on cost concerns than the patient’s well-being. Hundreds of patients surveyed by Dr. Joan Teno of Brown University were given a feeding tube although they had specified in writing that they did not want one.
Feeding tubes do not increase survival for people with dementia who can no longer swallow. Rather, they can cause harm as demented patients often try to remove them, and are then consequently physically restrained or placed on heavy sedatives. Dementia is receiving more recognition as a terminal illness. Trouble eating indicates the arrival of the final stage of the illness, and careful hand feeding can provide the patient with a safer and more comfortable alternative than a feeding tube. However, feeding by hand requires a lot of time and effort.
Cost concerns are likely a significant factor in the large use of feedin...
Cognis and Teligen Defibrillators May Have Deadly Defect
22 Feb 2010 at 5:31pm
Posted by
meghan@pintas.com (William G. Pintas)
According to a recent article in the journal HeartRhythm, Boston Scientific Corp’s Cognis and Teligen brand defibrillators have a dangerous design flaw. Defibrillators are portable electronic devices that automatically diagnose possibly life-threatening irregular heart rhythms in a patient, and help the heart re-establish effective rhythm with the application of electrical therapy. The defect in the Cognis and Teligen defibrillators by Boston Scientific may cause the devices to deliver unnecessary and life-threatening shocks to patients, and may affect the 90,000 patients who have the devices.
In December 2009, Boston Scientific reported the cases of two patients where the defibrillator that connects the device to the heart became loose. In January 2010, Boston Scientific stated the problem was fixed, and that the defect was limited to patients with defibrillators implanted under their chest muscles. However, HeartRhythm reported that Boston Scientific received at least three repo...
Long Term Healthcare Hospitals: Lack of Scrutiny over Poor Standards of Care?
15 Feb 2010 at 6:49pm
Posted by
meghan@pintas.com (William G. Pintas)
The New York Times recently published an article on the lack of scrutiny long-term healthcare hospitals face over their standards of care. According to the report, Medicare has never closely examined the care provided in these facilities, which are largely run by for-profit companies and have no doctors on staff. Many are “hospitals within hospitals”, as the company that runs them contracts space from a host hospital so the facility can be opened quickly and cheaply.
These facilities have been cited at a rate of up to four times higher than traditional hospitals for violation of Medicare rules. They also have a higher rate of patients developing bedsores and serious infections. Federal reports found that for-profit long-term hospitals spend less on patients and have a higher profit margin comparable to non-profit hospitals. These reports also detail preventable patient injuries and deaths as well as understaffed facilities.
The New York Times reported that many of these hospit...
FDA Warns Consumers about Counterfeit Version of Weight Loss Drug Alli
11 Feb 2010 at 2:39pm
Posted by
meghan@pintas.com (William G. Pintas)
Recently, the FDA warned consumers that a counterfeit version of the over-the-counter weight loss product Alli could be harmful. The counterfeit Alli has been sold in 60mg capsules as part of a 120 count refill kit on online auction websites like Ebay. The manufacturer of Alli, GlaxoSmithKline, has stated that tests on the counterfeit version of the drug showed that it contained sibutramine. Sibutramine may interact adversely with other medications, and should not be ingested by patients with certain medical conditions.
Consumers can identify counterfeit versions of the drug through the following differences:
(1) There is no “LOT code” on the top of the outer cardboard packaging of the counterfeit version.
(2) The genuine version has an expiration date that only includes the month and the year.
(3) The counterfeit version does not have the statement “SEALED FOR YOUR PROTECTION” on the seal of the bottle.
(4) The counterfeit version has a slightly larger capsule size.
(5...
Illinois Supreme Court Rules Medical Malpractice Damage Caps are Unconstituti...
4 Feb 2010 at 1:23pm
Posted by
meghan@pintas.com (William G. Pintas)
Today the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that limits on damages in medical malpractice cases are unconstitutional, as such caps violate the principle of separation of powers. The limits that were adopted by the Illinois General Assembly in 2005 infringe upon the power of the judicial branch. The 2005 law limited victims of medical malpractice to collecting up to $500,000 against doctors and $1 million against hospitals for pain and suffering. The ruling is a great victory for citizens and patients in Illinois.
The Court’s decision was based on the Cook County case, Lebron v Gottlieb Memorial Hospital. The case involved a three-year-old girl named Abigaile Lebron who suffered severe brain damage as a result of medical negligence.
In 2007, a Cook County judge ruled in Lebron v Gottlieb that limits on damages interferes with a jury’s power to award adequate damages for medical errors. This ruling brought the case to the Illinois Supreme Court. This is the second time in 13 years that the...
Toyota Recalls Millions of Vehicles due to Deadly Defect
3 Feb 2010 at 11:46am
Posted by
meghan@pintas.com (William G. Pintas)
On August 28, 2009, a 911 call in San Diego finally forced Toyota to step up their inquiries into defects in thousands of recently manufactured cars. The call came from a driver of a Lexus sedan, manufactured by Toyota, who complained that the vehicle accelerated without prompting and was about to crash. Allfour people in the vehicle died in the crash.
Before the tragic accident, Toyota received over 2,000 complaints of unintended acceleration. However, it was not until last week that Toyota finally expanded a series of previous recalls to cover millions of vehicles around the world that may have manufacturing defects. The company also stopped production and sales of eight models, including its popular Camry sedan. Toyota believes that the problems with its cars are from both loose floor mats that can interfere with accelerator pedals and a pedal that sticks when a driver steps on it.
Until recently, Toyota was still claiming that loose floor mats were the only cause of sudden ...
Weight Loss Pill Meridia Receives FDA Warning Saying Users have Increased Ris...
1 Feb 2010 at 6:12pm
Posted by
meghan@pintas.com (William G. Pintas)
Recently, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) added new warnings to the weight loss pill Meridia. On the same day, the European Medicines Agency (the European equivalent of the FDA) advised doctors and pharmacists to stop using the drug as the “risks…are greater than their benefits”. The FDA’s new warnings indicate the increased risk of heart attacks and strokes in patients who have a history of heart problems, such as heart failure, hypertension and irregular heartbeats. Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group, criticized the FDA for not being tougher with warnings for the drug. Last year, the group petitioned the FDA to take Meridia off the market due to new data regarding risks of heart problems resulting in death. The group has estimated that Meridia was prescribed to a quarter million patients last year.
Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
Our attorneys have extensive experience in drug litigation cases. If you or someone you know has suffered ...
Ethex Recall Lawsuits
26 Jan 2010 at 6:33pm
Posted by
meghan@pintas.com (William G. Pintas)
On November 7, 2008 Ethex Corporation, a subsidiary of KV Pharmaceuticals, issued a nationwide recall of five of its generic drugs. The recall was due to the risk that the pills contained a higher dosage of medication than indicated. These drugs were carried by pharmacies and wholesalers all over the country.
Some patients received up to twice the intended dosage, and were hospitalized due to the overdoses. One of the serious complications from overdose of these drugs is arrhythmia, or abnormal heart rhythm. Symptoms associated with arrhythmia include dizziness, discomfort in one’s chest, shortness of breath, and lightheadedness. In some cases, heart surgery will be necessary to treat this condition.
Since the November 2008 recall, Ethex has recalled all of their drugs. In January 2009, the FDA expanded the earlier recall to include 60 generic drug products manufactured by Ethex Corp, as the company may not have complied with federal manufacturing regulations. The recalle...
Popcorn Workers Lung (Diacetyl) Lawsuits
25 Jan 2010 at 6:57pm
Posted by
meghan@pintas.com (William G. Pintas)
Diacetyl, a chemical used in microwave popcorn butter flavoring, is directly responsible for a nationwide outbreak of a rare respiratory disease impacting the microwave popcorn industry.
Formally known as bronchiolitis obliterans, the disease is more commonly referred to as popcorn lung or popcorn worker’s lung. Workers who routinely breathe vapors from butter flavoring before adding it to microwave popcorn have developed shortness of breath, hardening of the lung tissue and other alarming respiratory issues. Avid consumers of popcorn may also be at risk. The damage cannot be reversed and the most serious cases of popcorn lung are life-threatening.
Severe symptoms can occur suddenly but this illness is frequently misdiagnosed as asthma, bronchitis or emphysema. Symptoms to watch for include shortness of breath, weight loss, night sweats and fever.
Contact an Experienced Attorney
The Pintas Law Firm is currently investigating cases for microwave popcorn plant victims nationwi...
1.5 Million Strollers Recalled Due to Risk of Finger Amputations for Children
22 Jan 2010 at 6:37pm
Posted by
meghan@pintas.com (William G. Pintas)
Recently, Newell Rubbermaid Inc. voluntarily recalled 1.5 million strollers after they received numerous reports of children’s fingertips being caught in their hinges. The U.S. Product Safety Commission has reported that in some instances, this has led to serious cuts and amputations.
The recall includes Graco Passage, Alano, Spree and Travel Systems strollers. The strollers were sold at retailers like Wal-Mart, Target, and Toys R’ Us from the period of October 2004 to December 2009. Consumers should stop using the recalled immediately and contact the companies to get a free repair kit.
Chrysler Group LLC Recalls Some Cars Due to Brake Defect
21 Jan 2010 at 6:51pm
Posted by
meghan@pintas.com (William G. Pintas)
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that the Chrysler Group LLC was recalling over 24,000 vehicles due to defects that could result in brake failure. The problem was discovered during routine quality inspections that revealed some vehicles were built with the brake defects. These defects could result in the driver being unable to exert enough force to stop the vehicle. Notification to owners of affected vehicles will be sent this month. The models included in the recall are:
2009 Dodge Ram Pickup
2010 Dodge Ram Pickup
2010 Chrysler Sebring
2010 Dodge Avenger
2010 Dodge Nitro
2010 Jeep Commander
2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee
2010 Jeep Liberty
US Files Lawsuit Against Johnson & Johnson Over Kickback Scheme to Omnicare
20 Jan 2010 at 6:49pm
Posted by
meghan@pintas.com (William G. Pintas)
Recently, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it had filed a lawsuit against the drugmaker Johnson & Johnson. The lawsuit alleges that Johnson & Johnson paid Omnicare, the largest U.S. pharmacy for nursing home patients, millions to buy and recommend their drugs to elderly patients. Physicians reportedly accepted the pharmacists’ recommendations more than 80 percent of the time.
Johnson & Johnson had allegedly entered into agreements with Omnicare that gave the company increased rebates if it increased prescriptions of their drugs. In November 2009, Omnicare agreed to pay $98 million under a settlement deal related to this scheme.
The company has stated they believe “airing the facts will confirm that our conduct, including rebating programs like those the government now challenges, was lawful and appropriate.”
21 Year Old Killed Due to Toyota Safety Problems
26 Feb 2010 at 8:51am
Posted by Jamie G. Goldstein
A 21 year old woman was killed in a collision in 2007, and her mother believes it was a result of failed brakes. Prior to the collision, the woman who owned a Toyota Yaris had taken the car into the dealership complaining of problems with the brakes. She was turned away and told nothing was wrong. So she did what so many other people did, she continued to drive her vehicle thinking it was safe. While her concerns were warranted, she did not receive repaired brakes, instead four days later her brakes failed costing her her life.
The death of this woman was avoidable. If Toyota had been more concerned about safety than turning as big a profit as possible, maybe it would have stopped to realize many of its cars were ticking time bombs. Even after the complaints began to pile up at Toyota, the manufacturer continued to ignore problems, which continued to cause injuries and death. Even to this day, Toyota is being less than forthright regarding its vehicles safety issues.
The publ...
Toyota Admits Growth More Important Than Safety
23 Feb 2010 at 10:57am
Posted by Jamie G. Goldstein
Once the manufacturer of one of the most reliable and safe vehicles on the road, Toyota is quickly plummeting to the bottom in the automobile kingdom. Consumers are no longer relying on Toyota's name when it comes to safety and quality. Today's statement by Toyota's president gives consumers more fuel to add to their concerns about Toyota vehicles. The president confirmed that Toyota's rapid expansion efforts may have put safety on the back burner. Toyota's greed has certainly cost some of those once confident consumers serious injuries and their lives.
It is unknown at this time how many people have been injured or killed as a result of the defects in Toyota vehicles, but as the days pass more and more stories are coming to light regarding collisions involving a Toyota that had a faulty accelerator. It appears that Toyota knew well in advance of any recall about the problems it faced, but instead of recalling the vehicles, they continued to produce them. They put consumers in...
Officer Killed on Lake Shore Drive - Too Icy or Not Enough Salt?
23 Feb 2010 at 10:37am
Posted by Jamie G. Goldstein
A Chicago police officer was killed during the early morning of February 22, 2010, when his car spun out of control on a Lake Shore Drive off ramp. The ramp was icy and the car smashed into a tree and a pole. The officer was apparently responding to a call regarding a burglary.
There are now questions being asked as to why the ramp was so icy. Was it because there was no salt put on the ramp? Was Chicago Streets and Sanitation instructed to not salt Lake Shore Drive? Why would the City not want this large stretch of road traveled daily by thousands of people salted?
Right now it appears there are no answers to these questions or whether there really was a no salt order on Lake Shore Drive. If there was one in affect though, many Chicago motorist are currently in harms way. There is still plenty of time left for icy conditions in Chicago this year. It is critical that the City investigate this as soon as possible and make certain that the proper precautions, including salting...
Illinois Safer for Patient Victims, Malpractice Caps Overturned
9 Feb 2010 at 7:46am
Posted by Jamie G. Goldstein
Late last week, the Illinois Supreme Court announced its much anticipated opinion in the Lebron v. Gottlieb Memorial Hospital case. The Lebron case involved a young child who was injured as a result of medical errors that occurred at birth. Her life was forever changed through no fault of her own. Abigaile Lebron suffered severe brain damage that is irreversible. She will live her life being fed through a feeding tube. Her cognitive and physical development will never reach or come close to reaching that of her peers. Abigaile will forever live with the aide of someone by her side. She will never be able to live independently.
Due to the severity of Abigalie's injuries, the caps on non-economic damages in Illinois were brought into question. In 2005, the Illinois legislature passed these caps keeping victims of medical malpractice in Illinois from recovering a reward over $500,000 for non-economic damages, even if a jury found that the victim deserved an award in excess of $500,000....
How Long Has Toyota Known About Accelerator Problems?
9 Feb 2010 at 7:07am
Posted by Jamie G. Goldstein
In just the last few months Toyota alerted consumers to potential problems with sticking accelerators in several of its vehicles. Many consumers believe these problems have recently come to light, however, the reality may be that Toyota knew it had a problem on its hands for over a year.
State Farm has recently revealed that it began warning federal safety regulators of the accelerator problem in 2007. State Farm based this warning to safety regulators on data collected from numerous collisions its insured motorists had been involved in during 2007 and prior years. In addition to the data State Farm had on the problems with the accelerators, there were also a vast amount of consumer complaints made regarding the defect. Investigations are ongoing to determine how long the safety regulators sat on this information before informing Toyota. I
Based on the information State Farm has recently come forward with, federal safety regulators may have known about this dangerous problem fo...
Toyota - Recall Intensifies, Answers Still Sought
29 Jan 2010 at 7:34am
Posted by Jamie G. Goldstein
Toyota's recall related to the acceleration of its vehicles has been brewing for some time now and seems to only be getting worse as the days, weeks and months go along. Toyota initially announced a recall in September of 2009 stating that there was a fear that accelerators could become trapped by floor mats causing unwanted acceleration and the inability to stop the vehicle. The total vehicles believed to be initially affected was approximately 4 million. Toyota had hoped to start fixing those vehicles by the beginning of 2010, but it seems now that more problems and the seriousness of the defect, whatever it may be, is still coming to light.
On January 21, 2010, Toyota announced it was recalling an additional 2 million plus vehicles for what it termed a "sticking accelerator". Less than 1 week later on January 26, 2010, Toyota announced it was halting the production and sales of 8 of its vehicles. These vehicles include the Rav 4 2009-2010, Matrix 2009-2010, Corolla 2009-2010...
More Questions About the Safety of Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella
11 Dec 2009 at 11:00am
Posted by Jamie G. Goldstein
Newer birth control pills called fourth generation pills have been in the spotlight recently due to the concern these pills, Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella, have a higher risk for serious health problems versus second generation birth control pills. It is believed Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella have an increased risk over second generation pills for a woman to develop deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism or gallbladder disease. Despite the increased risk, these newer pills do not seem to be any more effective than older generation pills.
Birth control pills are made up of 2 components, estrogen and progestin. Whether it is a second generation, third generation or fourth generation pill, they all work with the same basic concept, the two components work to prevent pregnancy by stopping ovulation in a woman's body. There is no evidence that the change in the type of progestin used changes the effectiveness of the pill. Despite this, the fourth generation pill manufacturer, Bayer, is us...
Toyota Recall - Unintended Acceleration Caused by Floor Mats
3 Dec 2009 at 8:38am
Posted by Jamie G. Goldstein
A recently announced recall by Toyota brings to light the potential for serious injuries and death to millions of Americans. Toyota has determined the floor mats in several Toyota and Lexus vehicles, including, the 2007 - 2010 Camry, 2005-2010 Avalon, 2004-2009 Prius, 2005-2010 Tacoma, 2007-2010 Tundra, 2007-2010 ES350, 2006-2010 IS250 and the 2006-2010 IS350 can lead to unintended acceleration in the vehicles. The floor mats appear to become trapped where the accelerator is located causing the car to suddenly accelerator without any warning to the driver. There have already been many collisions potentially related to this recall.
If you own a vehicle listed in the recall, your vehicle should be fixed by an authorized dealer, however, dealers may not be able to fix your vehicle until early 2010. Toyota is advising owners of effected vehicles to take out driver side floor mats in these vehicles until they are able to have the problem resolved.
If you or someone you know has been ...
Serious Side Effects Including Death Related to Yas and Yasmin Birth Control ...
10 Sep 2009 at 7:44am
Posted by Jamie G. Goldstein
Most prescription medications, if not all, come with their share of side effects. Recently, however, one prescription has been noticed in both the medical and legal community for the extensive side effects that it has caused. The birth control pill Yaz or Yasmin has now been linked to blood clots, pulmonary embolism, stroke, heart attack, gallbladder problems and other injuries. There are of course milder side effects that are perfectly normal, such as a decrease in sex drive, headaches, decrease in appetite, nausea, and weight gain. However, if these side effects persist, or begin to develop in more serious symptoms, then seeking medical and legal help is not only the intelligent choice, but should be made quickly after these symptoms begin.
Yaz is also catching flak in the legal community for a misleading and false advertising campaign. This false advertising campaign has caused many women to face irreversible side effects, triggering multiple federal law suits. The Yaz campaign m...
Giving Back - Nintendo Wii Finds a Home at Helping Hand Rehabilitation Center
17 Aug 2009 at 11:53am
Posted by Jamie G. Goldstein
Today I was fortunate enough to be able to take the time to give back to the community. I spend most of my time in my office trying to help my clients that have been hurt and are trying to recover through use of the legal system. While this is what I do most days, many of my clients' recoveries occur outside of the courtroom and in facilities like Helping Hand.
Helping Hand Rehabilitation Center is located in Countryside, Illinois and is a facility focusing on children and adults with special needs. Many of the clients at Helping Hand have life long disabilities while others have disabilities that have developed later in life. Whether it is a new obstacle or one that has been with a client for years, the staff at Helping Hand work tirelessly to make certain each client receives the attention and care necessary. This is achieved through vocation programs, physical therapy, education, occupational therapy, art therapy, music therapy as well as many other opportunities. The facility gi...
 
|
|
|
|
Sponsored Links |
|
|
|
